empatar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
empatar — to tie
The imperfect subjunctive of empatar (-ra or -se) expresses past hypotheticals or wishes: empatara, empataras, empatáramos, empataran.
empatar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is for hypothetical situations in the past, wishes, or polite requests that didn't necessarily happen. For 'empatar,' it could be 'if we had tied the score' or 'I wish they would tie'.
Notes on empatar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
'Empatar' is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms are correct, though -ra is more common in many regions. The stem remains 'empat-' for all forms.
Example Sentences
Si hubiéramos jugado mejor, quizás hubiéramos empatado.
If we had played better, maybe we would have tied.
nosotros
Ojalá él empatara el partido en el último minuto.
I wish he would tie the game in the last minute.
él/ella/usted
Me pidió que empatara los cordones de sus zapatos.
He asked me to tie his shoelaces.
yo
Ellos habrían ganado si no hubieran empatado.
They would have won if they hadn't tied.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: For hypothetical pasts, use 'empatara' or 'empatase', not 'empató'.
Why: The preterite describes completed past actions, while the imperfect subjunctive deals with unreal or hypothetical past conditions.
Mistake: Confusing -ra and -se endings.
Correct: Both 'empatara' and 'empatase' are correct for 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted'.
Why: Learners might only know one set of endings or think one is always wrong.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: empato
The present tense of empatar is regular: empato, empatas, empata, empatamos, empatáis, empatan.
Preterite
yo: empaté
The preterite of empatar is regular: empaté, empataste, empató, empatamos, empatasteis, empataron.
Imperfect
yo: empataba
The imperfect of empatar is regular: empataba, empatabas, empataba, empatábamos, empatabais, empataban.
Future
yo: empataré
The future tense of empatar is regular: empataré, empatarás, empatará, empataremos, empataréis, empatarán.
Conditional
yo: empataría
The conditional of empatar is regular: empataría, empatarías, empataría, empataríamos, empataríais, empatarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: empate
The present subjunctive of empatar expresses wishes, doubts, or emotions: empate, empates, empatemos, empaten.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: empata
The imperative of empatar has regular commands: empata, empate, empatemos, empatad, empaten.
Negative Imperative
yo: no empates
Negative commands for empatar use the present subjunctive: no empates, no empate, no empatemos, no empatéis, no empaten.